Like so many others in marketing, one of the first books I read was Influence. Today this is required reading for anyone trying to persuade through writing, messaging, speaking – pretty much any form of communication. The principles outlined in this book have stood the test of time.

So, it’s a pretty darn big deal when the author of said book, Dr. Robert Cialdini decides it is time to add to the conversion slightly 30 years later.

I asked him why it took so long to write his second book and his answer is testament to just how important his first work is. He said, “I didn’t want to plant a bunch of shrubs around a great tree, I wanted to wait until I had another tree.”

My guest for this week’s episode of the Duct Tape Marketing Podcast is Dr. Robert Cialdini, author of the legendary NY Times Bestseller book, Influence(which sold over 3 million copies and has been published in over 30 languages.) He is also the founder of Influence at Work and author to a new book called Pre-Suasion: A Revolutionary Way to Influence and Persuade. Robert and I talk about the science behind communication and how the message before the message is key.

Pre-Suasion adds a simple notion to the conversation of persuasion. The big idea of this new work, Pre-Suasion is that there’s a step that must happen before you deliver your key message and that it’s the state the listener is in when they hear your key message that determines how receptive they will be to it. Without this set-up you may be less likely to persuade.

Dr. Robert Cialdini, frequently regarded as the “Godfather of Influence,” knows all about persuasion, compliance, and negotiation. His books are the result of decades of peer-reviewed research on why people comply with requests.

Questions I ask Robert Cialdini:

Can you describe for us the research that went into your newest book, Pre-Suasion?

Do we need social proof and consistency for this kind of pre-suasion to be effective?

Some people may view this as “tricking.” Are there unethical elements in influencing?

What you’ll learn if you give a listen:

How altering the mindset of the moment, referred to as “privileged moments,” can create a state of mind for recipients in communication

What a tactical approach to influence is and how environment plays a critical role

Why asking for a person’s advice, versus asking for an opinion, can encourage collaboration and support

Learn more about Robert Cialdini and Influence at Work here. Buy Robert’s book, Pre-Suasion: A Revolutionary Way to Influence and Persuade, here.